Frankie and Eric
by Gypsy3
Summary: A private detective's gotten in over their head and it's up to the UC team to get them out... but is everything as it seems? PG13 Rating is for language.
1. Mission Insane...

Donovan was the first in that morning. Usually Monica and Cody were there before hand, but for some reason they were late. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down to read his email. Another assignment. He pushed the mug to the side as he leaned forward, eyebrows puckering.  
  
"What the..."  
  
"Boss?" It was Monica in the doorway. She had a Starbuck's cup in hand. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Our new assignment. Get everyone in here A.S.A.P."  
  
-----  
  
Twenty minutes later everyone was in the main room. Donovan was pacing in front of the main screen, deep in thought.  
  
"We've got a new assignment. Cyrus Morhoff." He proceeded to give the particulars about Morhoff - a reputed arms dealer with a nasty personality.  
  
"Jake, you're going to go in. So are you Alex. I'll need both of you in the outfit."  
  
As he spoke, everyone's eyebrows shot up in surprise. It wasn't every day that two agents went in cover. Usually one did while the other one filled in details here and there.  
  
"Uh, Boss. Why two of us? He can't be that bad... and besides, it'll make waves to have two new rookies in their outfit." Jake was right and Donovan knew it.  
  
"One will get Morhoff... the other is going to help with a sort of 'hostage' extraction. Monica, I'll need you to profile a Private Detective Frankie Battles for me. Find out everything you can about this person. I received notice this morning that things are getting bad for Battles. He's apparently gotten into hot water and the Director feels it'd be best to get him out. Alex, this is your part - find Frankie. Jake, you get to tackle Morhoff. Good luck to you both."  
  
****  
  
Monica and Cody had been studying their files for hours. Both were crabby and sniping at Jake and Alex. Donovan had to chuckle as he listened to the hissing and spitting downstairs.  
  
"BOSS!! GET JAKE OUT OF MY WAY!!" it was Alex's voice. Apparently she was having to sidestep both Cody and Jake.   
  
"Boss."   
  
"Yes Monica?"  
  
"Just who is the Frank Battles we're helping pull out? Cody can't anything to give me, just 'tall, black hair, grey eyes'. Nothing else. Not a picture, not a personnel file, nothing." She almost threw the file on his desk as she sat down.  
  
"Calm down. Private detectives are odd ducks. They technically don't exist except to their informants and those who hire them. What I need from you is the best guess. Once Jake and Alex get inside, then that is when you're going to work your magic."  
  
"Sure. IF Alex and Jake don't kill each other."  
  
There was a loud crash and Cody's voice began yelling.  
  
"Or before Cody kills them both..." Donovan said with a wry grin.  
  
****  
  
Jake was tired. He'd been on the hustle for the last two weeks and still he wasn't that well integrated enough into Morhoff's outfit to be let in on some of the details. Alex, on the other hand, had snagged Morhoff's eye and been given carte blanche to come and go as she pleased.  
  
Of course, the lovely piece of eyecandy that he'd seen around today and the day before made things a bit easier to swallow. If only she wasn't so tall... When he asked Harv about her, all he got was a grunt and a brusque "She ain't none of yer business."  
  
"Yeah. She's a real biscuit too. Legs longer than my speeding ticket record. Boss, I gotta tell you, this assignment is proving to be a pain."  
  
"Jake," Donovan's voice crackled a bit on the cellphone. "Be patient. Not all assignments are over as quickly as Quito or Sonny. The prison bit lasted two months."  
  
"Yeah, and we all know how that turned out. Has Alex turned anything up on this Frankie?"  
  
"No. Like you and your 'biscuit', she keeps getting told it's none of her business. Jake..."  
  
"yeah Boss?"  
  
"Just what is a biscuit in definition of a woman?"  
  
"Nevermind Boss. Leave it at if you were to see her, even YOU would probably have heart palpitations."  
  
"Ah-ha. Very funny Jake."  
  
****  
  
After that, Jake hadn't seen much of the woman. Once or twice, here and there. Most of the time it was a brief meeting with Morhoff and then she was on her way. Several times he tried to introduce himself to her and she just half-smiled and hurried off.  
  
Except this morning. Jake had gotten to be decent enough friends with Harv and Finch. They sort of 'took him under their wings' and taught him how things were in Morhoff's outfit. But this morning, everything was tense when Jake showed up.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Frankie's pissed off the Boss."  
  
"Frankie?"  
  
"Yeah, Frankie. Boss' got himself a pet project, information source on the police and all that. Apparently Frankie ain't remembered her place in the scheme of things. And now, we get to go remind her. You're coming with us."  
  
Her? Frankie was a woman? 'Holy Shit!' Jake thought 'No wonder Alex hasn't been able to get anywhere on finding Frankie.' All this time they'd been looking for a man.  
  
While they were on the way to Frankie's place, Harv and Finch filled him in.  
  
"Yeah, a while back, this pretty little thing turns up some dirt on the Boss. When she went to the police about it, word spread quickly, Boss has people on the inside you see... anyway, he made Frankie a deal she couldn't refuse. He dances her like a puppet. Too bad she's off limits to people like you and me, right?"  
  
"yeah... right." Jake wasn't liking this at all. If Frankie was a woman, what was it that Morhoff was holding over her to get her to do what he wanted?  
  
"We're here. C'mon Jake."   
  
All three of them entered the building. That sick feeling in the pit of his stomach grew by leaps and bounds. The apartment building wasn't too bad looking, decent neighborhood. They stopped at the fifth floor, apartment A. Harv knocked on the door.  
  
"Who's there?" It sounded like a child's voice.  
  
"Open up Eric. We're here to see Frankie."  
  
"No! Frankie isn't here. Go Away!"  
  
"Be a good boy Eric and open up. If you don't, you'll make us really mad!"  
  
There was a dead silence before the door opened up a crack, the security chain stopping the door. In the doorway was a younger male who looked to be about mid-twenties. "If I let you in, will you promise not to hurt me?"  
  
"Of course." With that, Harv kicked the door in. Eric scampered backwards and tripped over the sofa. Finch and Jake followed him in.  
  
"See, we haven't hurt you yet. Where is that pretty little sister of yours?"  
  
"not here." Eric had stood up and was pacing back and forth, holding one hand up to the side of his head. "not here. Frankie not here. Jake looked around, half listening to Harv and Finch as they started taunting Eric. The apartment wasn't exactly luxurious, but it was about the same as Alex's place. Definitely a woman's place. He made a quick clear of the place, checking the rooms for the mysterious Frankie.  
  
"no one else is here guys."  
  
Harv and Finch looked up. Eric was sitting in a chair, his hands balled up into fists held between his knees as he rocked back and forth. Fresh tears were streaming down his face.  
  
"remember what we said Eric. Tell that sister of yours to mind her manners and remember who she is... or else she gets hurt."  
  
At that threat, Eric put both hands over his ears and started sobbing. Harv and Finch looked smugly satisfied as they headed down to the car.  
  
"ahhh. Our work here is done. Let's go Jake."  
  
"I think I'll stick around, make sure Frankie gets the message."  
  
"Not the way it works Jake. We deliver it, she gets it. Anything for her baby brother."  
  
"Fine. Then I'm going for a walk."  
  
"Suit yourself." They got into the car and drove off, leaving a sick Jake behind. How could people honestly what they did to a person like Eric and feel good about themselves. He shook his head and went back inside.  
  
Knocking softly on the door even as he heard Eric's crying.  
  
"Eric. My name is Jake. I was just here." The door was unlocked, so he let himself in. Eric was curled up in a fetal position on the floor, still sobbing.  
  
"Go... away. You... want to hurt Frankie."  
  
Jake felt so sorry for the poor guy. He went into the bathroom and got a cool wet washcloth. After returning, he bent down and handed it to Eric.  
  
"No, I want to help Frankie."  
  
Eric looked at Jake suspiciously for a moment, then reached for the washcloth.  
  
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"  
  
Jake jumped up, Eric screeched and curled up even as 6' of livid brunette came racing in through the door and backhanded Jake across the room.  
  
"Don't you bastards EVER give up? What is it going to take? Killing one of you to make you understand that Eric is off-limits to your sick jokes?" The banshee screaming at Jake was the brunette 'biscuit' he'd drooled over for weeks now. And she was pissed.  
  
"Now wait just a minute! I haven't done anything to him! I was trying to help him!" Jake stood up slowly, expecting her to knock him flat on his butt again. But she backed up and knelt down, putting her arms around Eric's shoulders, rocking him gently.   
  
"It's alright. I'm here Eric."  
  
"They... they said they'd h..hurt you if you... did-didn't behave."  
  
Frankie glared daggers at Jake who just stood silently by.  
  
"did they hurt you?"  
  
"No... just.. just kicked the door in. two like before... and him. He's nice. He wants to help you."  
  
Frankie eyed Jake again. "Like hell he does."  
  
"Frankie. My name is Jake Shaw. I'm a Federal Agent. I can help you if you'll let me."  
  
She watched him pull out his ID and badge. As she inspected it closer, Jake pulled out his cell phone and dialed Donovan.  
  
"Yeah, it's Jake. I found Frankie." 


	2. Frankie's Story

"Where is he?"  
  
"She. Frankie is a she, Boss. And she's in the shower." Jake closed the door behind Donovan and ran a hand through his hair. Eric sat on the sofa, rocking back and forth gently as he read a book to himself.  
  
"Who is that?"  
  
"That... is Eric. Morhoff's trump card over Frankie." Jake led Donovan into the kitchen so they could talk. Almost as if by magic, Eric looked up and smiled at them as they walked by. Donovan blinked. The 'boy' had to be 25 or so.   
  
"What's wrong with him, do you know?"  
  
"No. I think he's a bit on the slow side. But for a certain diagnosis, I - "  
  
"SHOULD be asking me." came the feminie voice behind them both. And she wasn't happy again.  
  
Donovan whirled about to stare down a 6'0 tall brunette with soft grey eyes. She was wearing a pair of knit pants that hugged her hips and showed off a trim waist under two tanktops worn one over the other and ending at her ribcage. There looked to be a tattoo, a circular woven design around her navel. Her hair was in long damp black ropes down her back and over her shoulders.  
  
Donovan swept a gaze up and down her, assessing the young woman before him. "Frank Donovan. Jake tells me you are the Frankie Battles we've been looking for." He offered his hand.  
  
To which Frankie looked at it skeptically for a moment before slipping a slim long fingered hand into his in a surprisingly firm handshake.  
  
"You could say that. Tell me why you were looking for me.  
  
"We were told that you needed help in 'getting out' of Morhoff's control."  
  
"Who said that?" Her very expression and body language oozed of cautious control, feeling them both out to see if she were being played or this was for real. Frankie really couldn't afford for Morhoff to play her like that and have him find out she'd gladly rat on him to the first person claiming to be able to help her out of his grip.  
  
Donovan, with all of his years in negotiations, knew instictively what she was doing. "Look, Miss Battles. You can relax. We're with the Justice Department, a special operations unit. Right now we're investigating Cyrus Morhoff with the intention of arresting him shortly. I have two agents undercover - Jake and one more who's name I will not reveal to you for his or her own safety. Until now, we've been operating under the assumption that YOU, Miss Battles, were a Mister. As you can imagine, we were rather set back to find out you were indeed a woman. Jake tells me that your brother Eric is the reason you allow Morhoff to walk all over you. Tell me what is going on so I can help you."  
  
Frankie had leaned back slightly, her eyes widening. No even her father had such an effect on her. Blinking a few times, she shrugged and stepped past Jake and Donovan. Jake's head tilted slightly as he watched her derriere saunter by. Donovan's head tilted to the other side for the same reason... until a slight cough brought them both back to their senses. And both of them blushed slightly. Jake was right, Donovan thought... she is a total biscuit.  
  
"Coffee or tea? Or would you prefer water?" When she smiled, she had a different look all together. For a moment, Donovan had a flash of x-rated imaginings about that tattoo on her belly.  
  
Jake spoke up and said he'd take some water, to which Donovan nodded he'd like some too. Frankie set the filled tea kettle on to boil, then opened up the refrigerator for the water. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, it was on the bottom shelf and she had to bend over to get the two bottles. As she did, Donovan and Jake both tilted their head to the same side in admiration of her rear-end as her knit pants sretched tight. They both also took note of the rather huge tattoo that spanned the small of her back - wings spread wide from a heart.  
  
Neither of them were coherent enough to hear Eric's giggle as he stood in the doorway.   
  
"Frankie's pretty, isn't she Jake?"  
  
Frankie herself just shook her head and pushed a bottle of water into their hands. Again they both blushed profusely and made some weak excuses.  
  
"Eric, why don't you take your book and go read in your room while I talk with Jake and Mr. Donovan. She watched him leave, then poured herself a mug of tea before settling down on the sofa, pulling one knee up under her chin and tucking the other under her.  
  
"Eric is special. And it's my fault. My stupidity o be precise." Her eyes were downcast and her face had an expression of complete regret. Both Donovan and Jake wanted to wrap her up in their arms and hold her, tell her it would be alright.   
  
"He's only a few years younger than I am. But mentally he's 8 or 9 years old." She signed softly and continued. "I was working on another investigation for the police department, nothing to do with Morhoff at all. He had a reputation on the streets and I took great care to steer clear of him in my business. Too bad for me I dug something up in the process of digging for this other case. So, being the upstanding law-abiding citizen that I am," her voice held a tinge of sarcasm, leading the two men to wonder about that fact. "Being the law abiding citizen that I am, I turned the information in to the detectives."  
  
She stopped, taking a sip of her tea. "Eric is my only brother. He followed in our father's footsteps. I wanted to, but a misspent youth sort of put the kibosh on that. It's rather hard to get into the Academy when you've got a Juvie record the size of most people's utlility bills. But, I got my PI license and firearms qualifications and went to work in the private sector as an investigator. Daddy was really proud of me that I'd gotten my life turned around. So when Eric went into the Academy after college, the old man was walking in the clouds. I wish it could have lasted."  
  
Jake and Donovan sat quietly, letting her talk. Donovan guessed that this was something she'd never told anyone else. And if it gave her a sense of trust with them, then more's the better in his book. Besides, he was rapidly developing a soft spot for this woman.  
  
"As I said, I wish I could have made Daddy's happiness last longer. When I turned in the information I'd accidentally dug up on Morhoff, I got a visit the very next day. Two of Morhoff's goons came to visit my mother and father. Left them in pretty bad shape. Daddy's neck was broken and Mother is in a nursing home." She sighed again, the sound like a hiccup forewarning of a crying jag to come later if she didn't be careful. "One of them left me a little note, saying that if I were smart, I'd forget what I'd found and get on with my life. To this day I can't stand the sound of Taps." She shuddered and swallowed back a few tears.  
  
"Naturally, I wasn't going to let this bastard get away with what he did. So stupid me marched down to the precinct and filed charges. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who it was and why. I got several threatening notes, phone calls... even harrassed by the people I consider my sources. 'Leave Morhoff alone'... 'forget about what happened.' ... 'it can get a lot worse.' All I had to do was drop the charges against Morhoff and forget the information. Unfortunately, my ego and my pride would't let me. So I paid for it."  
  
She stopped a moment, eyes staring blankly at a fixed point just between Jake and Donovan.  
  
"I received a phone call. 'Go to the waterfront. Warehouse 5. This will be your last warning.' Minutes later, I received a call from Eric's girlfriend. He hadn't come home from his shift the night before and hadn't called her to let her know he was working late. you know how you get that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach? The one that just tells you you've been an utter idiot and are now going to pay for it? I got that feeling as I hung up the phone. I mean, he got to Mother and Daddy... why couldn't he get to Eric too?"  
  
She paused again, the tears skating down her cheeks freely now as she looked down at the untouched and slightly steaming mug of tea.  
  
"When I found him, he'd been there for a few hours. One single shot to the head. It was not meant to kill, but to cripple. The doctor said that hope was out of the question. Eric would be disabled for the rest of his life. Mom and Dad, now Eric. And if I didn't behave myself, he'd finish off Eric."  
  
"But, Frankie, when Harv and Finch threatened Eric this afternoon, they didn't say anything about hurting him if you didn't behave."  
  
She snorted. "THey're dumb looking, hell, they ARE dumb. But they're not stupid, Jake. They know that if they were to threaten him, that he wouldn't tell me. You see, he went to that warehouse that afternoon because his partner is on Morhoff's payroll. And he was told that if he didn' go along, I'd wind up getting hurt - badly. That's Morhoff's control. He threatens me to Eric, Eric breaks down and has fits... and to keep them away from Eric, to keep his life peaceful, I dance to Morhoff's tune."  
  
Donovan looked at Jake and vice versa. The answer was right in front of them.  
  
"Frankie..." Donovan paused. "Just, what is your real name?"  
  
That was obviously not what she expected to hear. "Francesca."  
  
"Mm, Miss Battles." Donovan was pushing hard to keep this professional. She was the little sister he'd wanted while growing up. "The solution is simple. One of us will stay here to keep watch over Eric. The Justice Department is working to arrest Morhoff and his associates. If you work with us, help us with evidence on him, I can grant you immunity to the charges."  
  
She looked up and brushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. "But, I haven't done anything. Just given him information that I'd come across. Occasionally mis-lead the police."  
  
"Did you ever stop to consider that by your misinformation and misleading the police, innocent lives were impeded and possibly lost?"  
  
Her eyes widened a bit and her jaw dropped. She didn't care about anyone else, if the truth were known. She'd just wanted them to leave Eric alone - and she'd have done anything to make sure they left him alone. She was responsible, after all... wasn't she? She bit her lower lip.  
  
"If... if I" she chose her words slowly, as if weighing each of them as her very life hung on them. "IF I chose to turn in the information... I would ask that one of you stay here. With Eric." She waved off their protests and stood up.  
  
"Let me finish. I told you before that Morhoff has police in his pocket and IF I were to turn on him, normal procedure is to have police protection." She paced slightly, one arm folded across under her breasts and the other crooked in her hand, nibbling on her thumb and forefinger. But the light of understanding was beginning to reach both Donovan and Jake. Morhoff's informants on the inside would be the first to know that Frankie's brother was under protection. It wouldn't take too long for him to put the information together and come up with the certainty that Frankie had turned on him.  
  
"I'll stay." Donovan nodded. "Jake, you're needed still on the inside. Get to Alex and let her know what's going on. I'll set up the rest for the end of this. Frankie, where can I sleep?"  
  
"Sleep? Who the hell said anything about you sleeping here?"  
  
"I did, just now. Get used to it, Francesca." His tone sharpened with the use of her full name.  
  
She didn't really have much of a choice, did she?  
  
****  
  
Donovan listened to the silence in the apartment. It wasn't his taste really, a little too wildchild for his liking. But he was only a guest here. His hostess was asleep in the next room, his host was in the other room. The couch was a tad uncomfortable. Primarily since he was so tall. But it was the only place available to sleep and he wouldn't let Frankie give up her bed. He puzzled over the young woman asleep nearby. She was a strong woman who was at a breaking point. If one thing happened to her brother, she'd snap. He'd seen it before.  
  
He sat up, watching the shadows of the passing cars and lights play on the ceiling. This was going to be tricky, finding a way to remove Frankie and her brother while still getting Morhoff. So deep in his plots and plans he didn't hear Eric wake and get out of bed. By the time Eric was tiptoeing across the living room, Donovan had startled out of his own thinking and reached for his weapon.  
  
He didn't count on Eric's screaming in alarm.  
  
The scream was answered by a thud, a metallic sliding click and light footsteps that stopped with another click... followed by a soft "motherf..."  
  
"Eric. It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you." Donovan put his gun away and put both hands up to show they were empty.  
  
Eric was backing up into Frankie's embrace. She slid the safety on and hugged him tight. 'It's OK... you surprised him... he reacted the same way I would... go back to bed...'  
  
As Eric nodded and looked back. He whispered I'm sorry as he went back to bed.  
  
Frankie sagged against the doorframe. She was wearing a t-shirt and her hair was tangled from sleep.  
  
"I'm sorry, Francesca. I was startled. I..." he stopped. She wasn't... he didn't need this.  
  
But she was. She'd put her gun arm up across her face and slid lower until she was sitting down, her knees drawn up under her chin. And she was crying.  
  
Donovan hung his head. He didn't have too much experience with crying women. Women crying out of fear, panic... that was one thing. But Frankie's tears were not of fear or panic. Her tears were of utter hopelessness. He bent down and put his arms around her, rubbing the back of her hair softly. He hadn't bargained to be playing big brother. 


	3. Runaway

Some time later, she'd stopped crying. Donovan continued to hold her and stroke her hair. His mind was rebelling, wanting so much more. But his honor and duty kept him from taking advantage of her. She was just a kid after all. Eric was her younger brother, but he didn't know just how old she was.  
  
She leaned back, resting against the door frame while analyzing him with her dove grey eyes.  
  
"Why are you helping us?"  
  
"Because I have a job to do. And keeping people like you and your brother safe from people like Morhoff is part of that job."  
  
Frankie made a small sound. He wasn't sure if it was cynicism or understanding. She was, afterall, in essentially the same profession he was - except he worked for the government and had a degree.   
  
"I see," she said. "Helping people like us." Cynicism it was.  
  
"People like us..." her head tilted back and she looked at the mammoth gothic clock that took up an entire wall - or rather, was built into the wall. The time read 2am.  
  
Donovan tried to read her face, but foundh imself just staring blankly at those eyes. He'd never seen that shade of grey before. If only she weren't part of the job, if only he'd met her in another place or situation. His mind filled with too many 'if only' thoughts. Interrupting his thoughts was the sound of very, very soft crying. 'Dammit, she's at it again.' he thought.  
  
Frankie wiped the back of her hand across her eyes and snuffled softly. Neither of them saw Eric as he watched. He'd never truly gone back to bed, just sat behind his bedroom door with it cracked open and watched. He had hoped that his sister could be a typical 'girl' for once and maybe get kissed. That was the hope that kept him watching and listening.  
  
Donovan kept silent. If working with Alex and Monica had taught him anything, it was that if a woman was crying, trying to say something to comfort her usually wound up leading to worse situations. So instead, he got up and got her a handful of tissues, then sat down again.  
  
"It's so hard." She started off very quietly. "I love Eric, don't get me wrong, Mr. Donovan... but there's.. so..." her words were sprinkled with hiccups and more quiet tears. "It's hell being the one responsible for everything. I have no friends, my neighbors don't know my name and I haven't had a date in years." She hiccuped again.  
  
He, on the otherhand, felt this painful squeezing around his heart. To see this woman now, and compare her to the iron maiden he'd seen when he arrived, one wouldn't believe them to be the same. But deep down, he knew what it was like to feel some sense of despair, to be a living ghost. He should know, because he essentially was one himself. Maybe that is why he felt such a kinship in Francesca Battles...  
  
"Mother, of course, blamed me. Y'know, after Daddy was killed. When she heard what happened to Eric, she stopped speaking to me." she wiped her nose and looked down, the gun long forgotten on the floor next to her. "Daddy believed in right and wrong, much like you. You remind me of him a bit. Duty and justice and all that horseshit. Little wonder we didn't see eye to eye. The world to me is shades of grey, no right and no wrong, there just is. And justice... so often it seems that justice goes to the highest bidder. 'He who has the gold, makes the rules', y'know?"  
  
Donovan listened quietly, resting a hand on her knee as she spoke. Eric, however, felt horrible. His big sister was crying, and she was blaming him for it.   
  
"I had no control over it. None at all. There are times that I wish that Morhoff's gunmen had killed Eric. I look at him as he is now, and think of the bright, strong man he was then... and I feel this terrible ache. His girlfriend left him you know... couldn't handle it. She wanted a man, not a boy in a man's body. And Mother blamed me," she hiccuped again, fresh tears streaming once more... "blamed me for Eric's suffering. I can't tell you how many times I've stood over him as he slept and wished for the strength to end this. but I look at him and I... I can't" she leaned back into his chest as she started sobbing again.  
  
Of course, Donovan wrapped his arms around her again and just held her. He had never kept his mouth shut for so long and it was beginning to drive him nuts. Why did women cry so much? Eric, however, had moved away from the door and opened the window to the fire escape. He felt bad for making his sister feel this way. Maybe if he was gone, she could get on with her life and be happy again...  
  
****  
  
Donovan's eyes opened to the sound of coffee beans being ground in the kitchen. The aroma was absolutely heavenly.. he could only imagine what the coffee would smell like when brewed. He couldn't remember what time he'd finally got Frankie scooped up and put back to bed.  
  
Sliding off the sofa, he padded ino the kitchen on silent feet, cat's feet he'd been told once. So when he said good morning, Frankie jumped, scattering coffee beans all over the kitchen floor.  
  
"GODDAMMIT!!"  
  
Frank Donovan stood there, dark eyes wide in suprise and without a shirt on as she turned and hurled a wooden spoon at his head. That she missed and it banged harmlessly off the wall behind him didn't help matters. He wasn't paying the least bit attention to the spoon. She was still in the t-shirt she'd slept in, her hair was mussed and tangled in places, thick grey socks on her feet. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her legs. Damn him if she didn't have a mile and a half of leg between the hem of her shirt and the cuff of her sock.  
  
"Do you mind." It wasn't a question.  
  
But the only answer he had for her was to close the distance, effectively pinning her against the kitchen counter. In the back of his mind, he knew Jake was going to throttle him for what he was about to do... but he couldn't stop.  
  
Even at just an inch shorter than him, Frankie had to look up at him. Her head tilted back as she leaned away from him, his face lowering down. When his lips crushed against hers and his hands came to rest on the swell of her hips, she lost all train of thought. Instinctively she slid her arms around his neck and returned his kiss, her tongue probing past his lips to dance with his own tongue. Their bodies melded against each others, fitting perfectly. Frankie even pushed aside the tiny voice of reason that sang to her, telling her that she shouldn't. If he was offering her a little comfort in an otherwise empty world, she'd take it and she wouldn't feel a twinge of regret about it.  
  
The kiss seemed to last for hours, the spilt coffee beans forgotten as she pushed him back and manuevered him to the sofa in the living room. His hands roamed up and down her back as he let himself be guided. When the back of his knees hit the arm of the sofa, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her on top as he fell back. Her knees instantly dropped to either side of his thighs and her weight, slight as it was, was fully on him.  
  
Frankie braced her hands on either side of his head and pushed up. The movement lead to more weight of her hips against his and he groaned ever so softly in response. Frankie was completely naked under her shirt and he could feel it. She only stared at him a moment. He was a beautiful man, quite unlike any she'd ever met before. Most of them would not have listened to her last night or just hold her. She liked that. It'd been a long time since anyone had comforted her, and she'd needed it badly.  
  
Donovan, however, was studying her face, trying to read her thoughts. Those dove grey eyes had darkened to the color of stormclouds and were watching him. He shouldn't be doing this. He was there to protect Eric and help her. And he just knew that Jake was going to kick his ass when he found out that his boss had boffed the 'biscuit'. As if by their own power, his hands slid up under the bottom of her shirt over her derriere and up the fluid line of her back, drawing her t-shirt up in the process.  
  
She had been about to lower her head for a longer and deeper kiss when she stopped, those dark grey eyes fixed in the diection of Eric's bedroom. His first thoughts were that Eric was watching. 'How the hell do we explain this?', he thought. But Frankie's eyes weren't heated any longer. They had taken on a cold stoney cast. For the first time, he was worried.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Eric." She literally jumped off of him and skidded into her brother's bedroom. It'd been quiet in the apartment. Too quiet. Donovan was about to get up when he heard her scream. THAT got him on his feet and running, gun in hand.  
  
All that greeted him as he slid to a stop in Eric's room was 6'0 feet of pissed off banshee in front of the window.  
  
"He's gone." 


	4. The Promise

Jake, Monica and Cody showed up about 30 minutes later to find Donovan dodging flying objects being hurled across the apartment by Frankie Battles.  
  
"YOU SON OF A BITCH! EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL YOU SHOWED YOUR ASS UP! GET OUT! GET THE HELL OUT AND TAKE YOUR LAWDOGS WITH YOU!" said scream was punctuated by a butcher's knife impaling itself into the wall 3 inches from Jake's right ear.  
  
"Hey Donovan! What happened?" Jake had to dodge other flying objects. The apartment looked like WWIII hit it. Monica and Cody had taken refuge behind the sofa - which had wound up upended and on it's back, the cushions all over the room. "Jesus..."  
  
"It's Eric." Donovan grabbed Jake and they both hit the ground to dodge a cast-iron skillet that was aimed at their heads. "He's missing. She found out right before I called you." Both flinched as something glass shattered and rained down on them both. "Go around to the left, I'll cover the right. We got to - " something else glass shattered over their heads... "just be careful."  
  
Jake's head popped up long enough to distract Frankie's attention from Donovan. Donovan, meanwhile, had crawled around on his hands and knees. He hadn't managed to get a shirt on as of yet. This was what he'd feared would happen - she'd snapped.  
  
He neared where she was standing and waited. Jake poked his head up. As Frankie pulled her arm back to take aim, Donovan lept up and wrapped his arms around her. He wrestled her to the ground, shouting for Jake to get back. Carefully he removed the wrought iron lamp from her hand and got her pinned to the floor.  
  
"STOP IT FRANCESCA, JUST STOP IT!" She wriggled under him, trying to get free. Jake, Monica and Cody stood well back, watching - Jake with a trace of jealousy and sadness in his eyes. He had to wonder just what went on here last night.  
  
Finally a broken Frankie calmed down out of her rage and into desperate tears. She wrapped her arms around Donovan's shoulders and he in turn held her again as he had the night before, rocking her gently.  
  
"He's all alone..." she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. "He's all alone, and scared. Eric's only 10 years old in his mind, Donovan, and he's out in the city by himself. What... what if Morhoff gets him, or has him already? I... I..."  
  
Donovan shushed her, watching as Monica and Cody set to picking up a few things - namely the sofa and the few chairs she'd turned over in her rage. Jake set to making phone calls while his boss was working on Frankie. He wished it was him with his arms around Frankie instead of his boss, but it was obvious that she'd made her choice.  
  
---  
  
Some time later, both Frankie and Donovan were fully dressed, she was in Eric's room sitting in the window and smoking, he was discussing things with everyone else. The world looked bleak to her. In Frankie's mind, Morhoff already had Eric and was tormenting the poor soul. Did he run last night? What made him run, if that's what he did? How could Morhoff's men have gotten into the apartment and taken him? Surely Donovan would have stopped them... if he was one of the so called good guys. Right now, even as sexy as he was, she didn't trust anyone. She flicked the ash off of her cigarette, then wiped stray ashes off of her leather pants. It was little wonder she never had a date - she sure as hell didn't dress like a girl. In leather hip-hugging pants, a cropped t-shirt and calf high tactical boots, she wasn't very feminine. But the way Jake looked at her, his smile when he inroduced himself to her that first time... The way Donovan touched her.  
  
"stop it, just stop it Frankie. Get your stupid mind out of your own pants and back onto Eric" she chided herself. "You know Morhoff's got him, where else would he be? He always winds up back home within a few hours if he goes out." She took a deep drag and let it out slowly. She didn't want to think of what Morhoff was doing to her little brother right now. Surely Morhoff now knew that she'd turned on him.  
  
With that in mind, she climbed out of the window and stalked into her own room, throwing open the closet. Jake and Donovan leaned in the doorway and watched silently as she pulled down two lockboxes the size of VCR boxes. In one, they saw, there were twin pistols - .45 caliber polished steel Desert Eagles - and a shoulder rig fitted to her with matching break-away release holsters.  
  
As she strapped it on, Jake got a call. It was Alex. His hopes and his face fell as she related the news. With a sigh, he turned to Donovan and told him. Morhoff did have Eric. He'd been picked up wandering the streets... taken to the precinct office... one of the officers on Morhoff's payroll spotted him... took him to Morhoff's... he's sending men after Frankie.  
  
"It doesn't sound good Boss."  
  
The sound of a slide released jarred them back to Frankie. She was loading and holstering her guns. And she had yet to open the second box. Donovan walked in slowly so as not to alarm her.  
  
"Francesca..."  
  
"Fuck off."  
  
Jake winced. "ow."  
  
Donovan ignored him and kept at Frankie. "This is going to solve nothing, Francesca. Most likely will wind up hurting Eric. Please, come sit down and relax -"  
  
"Relax?!" she cut him off, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the edge of the box. She looked over her shoulder. "My brother is out there, alone, and probably in Morhoff's 'care' by now and you want me to relax?" She turned around, those eyes that once were dark with passion were now shooting sparks like flint. "You, who glide from life to life, from person to person, interrupting people's lives with your orders and your manners, YOU want to tell me to relax? DON'T!" She'd backed him up against the wall and gotten into his face. Jake had never seen anyone do that to the legendary Franke Donovan. Either Donovan had something up his sleeve, or he was in deep with this woman and wouldn't admit to it.  
  
Frankie snorted and turned around, ripping open the second box. Out of it, she pulled a black leather trenchcoat. "You say this will solve nothing. Oh, but it will, Frank Donovan. For the first time since this whole mess started, I'm going to put Cyrus Morhoff in his rightful place."  
  
She stormed past them towards the door. Jake grabbed her by the arm and spun her around, throwing her against the wall.   
  
"Knock it off Frankie! If you go in there guns blazing your going to get yourself shot or worse, ERIC shot!! THEN who will take care of Eric, huh? Who Frankie?"  
  
Frankie's eyes were narrowed and she was about to knee-jerk Jake in the groin when Donovan spoke up.  
  
"If we do this, we do this smart Francesca." He pulled Jake off and away from her even as her knee came up. Donovan caught it, spun her around face first into the wall and pinned her hands up over her head. "DON'T be stupid Frankie!" He hissed in her ear. "I know you're upset, I would be too. But dammit girl!! Think instead of being an idiot... I want to get Eric back just as much as you do. Please Francesca..."  
  
By now, Frankie'd worn herself out and her wrists were starting to go numb, as were her fingers. Donovan had one hell of a grip. Soft tears ran down her cheeks as Donovan let her go. He put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them gently as he whispered in her ear.  
  
"I'll help you get Eric back. 


	5. The Sacrifice

Donovan, Jake, Frankie were outside the front door to Morhoff's. Alex was still inside and had been given warning they were coming. The tactical team took their places around the outside and waited for the command.  
  
"You stay behind me, Francesca and watch my back. Jake, cover the left side."  
  
Donovan kicked in the door and they all skulked in silently... too silently. It was too quiet in here. No one was there.  
  
"Something's not right. I can feel it." Frankie stood up straight and looked around, one pistol in hand.  
  
Just then Harv and Finch came out.  
  
"Hiya Frankie girlie."  
  
"Finch."  
  
"Aw, c'mon. No hello or hug? No 'nice to see you too'?"  
  
She only gave him a look that could freeze hell.  
  
Harv smirked. "Easy Frankie. We got us a visitor. And he's really scared too. You be a good girl and put your gun down, tell your friends to leave, and we'll take you to him."  
  
"Don't to it Francesca." Donovan whispered. "It's a trap.  
  
"Yeah, you keep listening to that friend of yours. Eric told us you and he had gotten really friendly last night."  
  
Donovan looked over at Frankie carefully. It was written over her face. She was feeling guilty for taking a little for herself and responsible for Eric's running.  
  
And he was right. Inside, Frankie was torn to bits. She looked at Donovan, then at Jake... slowly she turned around, her grey eyes taking in every corner of the empty room. They were in a warehouse, the place Morhoff had used to store his goods. She'd been here before, knew the layout of the place. Her grip tightened reflexively on the pistol in her hand as she looked at Donovan again.  
  
"Shit." was all Donovan got out before she jerked the pistol up and shot Finch dead, then took aim at Harv.  
  
All hell broke loose after that. Jake and Donovan tackled Frankie down just as Harv fired at her. The three of them skidded across the floor even as the tac team outside came crashing in through the ceiling and the windows. Morhoff had been waiting for her and the team, he'd had his own gunmen and goons hidden in the warehouse. All of them were pinned in.  
  
Frankie rolled up to a crouch behind a pillar, the bullets taking fragments out of the pillar as she was shot at. She could see Donovan about 10 feet away and Jake 5 feet from Donovan. Reaching under her coat, she jerked the second pistol out of it's holster and clicked the safety off. At a lull in the shooting, she twisted around and let loose a few rounds. She only managed to duck back behind the pillar before getting her head blown off.  
  
"Donovan!" she shouted. When he looked at her, she told him that there was a back office about 30 feet directly behind her. But she'd need cover to get there. Donovan didn't like the idea for one main reason - he and Jake had vests, she didn't.  
  
Another female's voice came shouting across the warehouse even as more gunfire erupted. Alex had taken out a few of Morhoff's men and cleared the way for a few more of the SWAT team personnel to come in. Frankie nodded and spun around, firing rapidly as she ran behind the next pillar. Donovan and Jake covered her, following her from pillar to pillar.  
  
The SWAT team surrounded the remaining men and forced a surrender, ceasing the gunfire within the warehouse. Frankie, both pistols in hand, took off for the back office.   
  
The door was closed and locked. Still with pistols in hand, she threw her shoulder against it. It didn't budge. Snarling, she raised her pistols and fired repeatedly until the clips were empty, then kicked in the door. Jake and Donovan came running up behind her just in time to see her run into the office.  
  
All that greeted them was an empty chair.  
  
Alex came into the room. "This is Frankie Battles? I got some bad news Morhoff's..."  
  
"got Eric." Frankie finished. "And I know where too."  
  
----  
  
20 minutes later found all four of them outside of Morhoff's hotel suite. Donovan was giving instructions for the SWAT to break down the door when Frankie rolled her eyes and pushed past them all.  
  
Knocking on the door she said loudly, "Morhoff! It's Frankie! I've come for Eric!"  
  
The voice on the other side came back "And I should just let you in?"  
  
"Let me in nice or I get the SWAT team to break the damned door down."  
  
"Sure Frankie. Like you'd be so stupid."  
  
"Try me. Open the door before I get to 5 and I promise not to kill you slowly."  
  
Donovan wanted to throttle the girl senseless.  
  
"one..."  
  
still silence.  
  
"two..."   
  
some rustling was heard, along with some voices. Out in the hallway everyone was clicking the safety off on their weapons and the SWAT team was shouldering their M-16s in anticipation.  
  
"three... CYRUS! I'm getting pissed!"  
  
the voices on the other side of the door were getting agitated. Frankie stood back from the door, both guns raised as if to shoot the electronic lock off of the door.  
  
"four... CYRUS!! If I get to five I'm cutting you from neck to nuts and back again..."  
  
footsteps were heard coming towards the door.  
  
"five." with that, she thumbed the hammers and emptied three rounds each pistol into the lock. After that she stepped and kicked the door in as she had in the warehouse. But this time one of the SWAT officers grabbed her by the back of her coat and jerked her back to let the team in first. He passed her off to Donovan who's arms came around her upper arms and chest like steel bands. The SWAT team went in and forced everyone in there to surrender. It was quiet.  
  
When the all clear was given, Donovan let her go and followed her into the suite. Morhoff was seated behind the desk in the bedroom. Eric was sitting in the chair across from the desk, still in his pajamas from the night before. He looked terrified and in bad need of his big sister.  
  
Donovan went over and cut the ropes holding Eric down to the chair. Immediately he jumped up and ran to Frankie. She wrapped her arms around him, guns still in hand and hugged him tight.  
  
"Cyrus Morhoff you are under arrest for illegal arms trafficking, kidnapping, bibery, extortion..." the list went on and on as he was hauled up out of the chair and turned around. But Morhoff had other plans. He twisted around as Frankie and Eric were turning to leave the room. Pulling the sidearm off of Jake's belt and shoving him into the wall face first, Morhoff squeezed off a shot at Frankie.  
  
Eric and Frankie both heard and turned. But Eric was faster than Frankie and shoved her back against the wall, the bullet ripping through his chest even as Donovan raised his gun and fired, dropping Morhoff as the shot hit him in the shoulder. Frankie caught Eric and they both dropped to the ground.  
  
Donovan flipped Morhoff over and gave him to Alex to handcuff even as he stood and looked at Frankie. Everyone there knew the shot was fatal. It was only a matter of minutes until Eric was gone.  
  
"Frankie..."  
  
"Shut up silly boy... you shouldn't have done that."  
  
"Frankie... be happy Frankie. I owe you that." He coughed a bit, blood trickling down his chin as she held him. "Don't cry... it doesn't hurt." 


	6. Epilogue

EPILOGUE  
  
Donovan looked across the cemetery at the woman standing beside the freshly covered grave. Eric Battles had been given a full policeman's burial with honors. Frankie had turned witness against the dirty cops in the precinct and throughout the city, in addition to promising testimony against Morhoff and the remaining survivors of Morhoff's outfit. Every one of the SOG had attended the funeral - not for Eric as much as for Frankie. The most painful blow for Frankie hadn't been her brother's death, but that her mother did not even look at her when the reverend gave his condolences. She still blamed Frankie for Eric's fate.  
  
He watched her silently as she stood there. This was the only time he'd seen her in anything but leather. and he had to admit, even in a black suit she looked appealing. Now it was time for her to pick up the pieces of her life and move on. She could now, with no brother to take care of and since her mother had disowned her. He wondered if she'd accept what he had to tell her.  
  
As if by instinct, she looked up and turned. She looked like she was made to fit that black suit. When dressed right, she looked even more attractive. He nodded and stayed where he was, giving her space.  
  
Francesca Battles stood by the fresh dirt over her brother's coffin. She still couldn't believe he was gone, sacrificed his own life for hers. She'd feel guilty for that the rest of her life. She'd said her good-byes during the funeral, both to Eric and to her mother. It stung, but not as much as she'd thought it would. If her mother was that blind and bitter, she really did not need to be around her at all while recovering from this.  
  
In the few days since the shooting, the police department had stepped in and taken over the planning of the funeral, Monica and Cody from Dononvan's group helping a lot too. Monica was nice, even if she did want to talk a lot about how she was feeling. But it was nice of them to pitch in and help. Most of Frankie's time had been taken in giving sworn and witnessed testimonies against Morhoff and his people. She was ready now to move on.  
  
Donovan leaned back against the car as Frankie walked over to him.  
  
"Why'd you stay?"  
  
"WHy shouldn't I?"  
  
"You..." she started to say that he didn't have any reason to. But she stopped, remembering he kept his promise to help her find Eric and get him back.  
  
"I... I'm sorry about the other night... morning. In my apartment. Throwing things and all. I have a temper on me. And I'm sorry about before, the coffee beans and the.. uh... sofa..."  
  
"Francesca."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Shut up you silly girl. I can understand losing your temper. I knew you'd snap sooner or later. I just had no idea that you'd throw a wingback chair across the room. Here." he held out an envelope to her with the seal of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  
  
She looked at it, the reached up and slid off her sunglasses. "What... what is this?"  
  
"Read it. It's entirely optional of course. But The Director feels you deserve a second chance in things."  
  
She opened it and read it. It was an acceptance letter from the FBI Academy.  
  
"It says that I'll have to finish my degree... my juvenile record has been expunged... and a recommendation has been given by" she stopped and looked up at him. "You."  
  
"Don't say yes or no. Think about it. The acceptance letter is not dated. However, you are running out of time age wise. If you do choose to accept the admittance, it'll mean a lot of hard work. But I have a feeling it'll be a cakewalk for you."  
  
She handed the letter back to him with a smile. "No. I'm not cut out for the FBI. I like dressing the way I do, I like playing by my own rules, I like my life. I'm flattered and honored that you'd give me a recommendation and maybe pull a few strings, but I cannot accept this. Thank the Director for me, for the record cleaning and for the letter. I think I'll stick to being a Private Investigator for a while. Word has gotten out that I was involved in Morhoff's arrest, business has picked up a bit."  
  
He nodded with a slight chuckle. "You sure?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm sure." She chuckled herself and turned, walking about 10 feet before turning back. "Hey, Donovan..."  
  
"Yes Francesca?"  
  
"I rather like it when you call me Francesca. If you ever want coffee... or breakfast" the hidden meaning behind that was revealed with a slow smile across Frankie's face "feel free to wander by. You know where to find me." With that, she slid into the driver's seat of her car and pulled out, heading towards home.  
  
Donovan smiled, blushing slightly. That certainly was not the woman who'd cried in his arms a few nights ago because she was an unknown soul that hadn't had a date in years. And it had been a while since he'd had a good cup of coffee...  
  
"Oh jesus Frank, just go with her!" he chided himself as he slipped behind the wheel of his own car and pulled off after her...  
  
THE END. 


End file.
